Frickley Athletic 0
Nantwich Town 4
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

Saturday 21st March. 2009


FRICKLEY ATHLETIC 0 v NANTWICH TOWN 4
Michael Lennon. 43. 49.
Dave Walker. (P) 41.
Dave Whittaker. 72.

Frickley: Nicklin. Booth. Hilton©. Walsh. Lindley. Jones. Clarke. Groome (Pugh 70). Knox. Towler. White. Substitutes: Pell Davies. Pugh. Robinson. Pierrepoint.

Nantwich: Jones. Smith. Tickle. Tinson. O’Loughlin. Parkinson. Carter. Macpherson. Walker (Whittaker 52). Lennon (Kinsey 76) Gibson (Griggs 61). Substitutes: Whittaker. Griggs. Hawthorne. Jack. Kinsey.

Referee: Mr M.A White. Attendance: 235


MATCH REPORT

‘The Dabbers’ continued their promotion challenge with a hard won victory over Frickley Athletic on Saturday 21st of March. Despite a lively and uneven pitch Nantwich mastered the conditions well enough to come away from the GMB Stadium with their second victory in less than a week during which ‘The Dabbers’ scored 12 goals without reply. 19 year old understudy goal keeper Danny Roberts travelled with the squad as back up but after resting throughout the week Lee Jones declared himself fit enough to wear the No.1 shirt otherwise Nantwich started with the same line up that inflicted the heavy midweek defeat on Leigh Genesis.

And in a lively opening Frickley winger Chris White first collected a pass from striker Peter Knox before White ran on to test Lee Jones with a crisp angled shot from deep on our left hand side left whilst at the other end, Dave Walker threatened with a close range effort that Frickley ‘keeper Adam Nicklin could only parry into the path of his captain Chris Hilton – the Frickley No.3 responding by turning the ball around a post at the expense of a ‘Dabbers’ corner. Meanwhile, Robin Gibson’s flag kick found its way into a sea of bodies in the 6 yard box before deflecting into the path of unmarked Dave Macpherson but despite ‘Maccas’ quick response to the opportunity his shot fell wide of the target. Nantwich continued to press forward with both Dave Walker and Michael Lennon being presented with half chances in and around the area but it was Robin Gibson’s 12th minute free kick that looked the most promising up to that point when, from just outside the area, the ball swerved toward the forehead of Walker but just as he reached out for the ball it drifted away-missing Walker’s head by mere inches, and with only Nicklin to beat.

On the quarter hour White was again involved in a move down ‘The Dabbers’ left hand side-the winger avoiding challenges from both Robin Gibson and Dave Tickle before squaring the ball to midfielder Danny Clarke whose strike from the edge of the area flew over ‘Jonah’s’ cross bar for a goal kick. In the 28th minute Frickley midfielder Jonathan Groome set up Knox whose shot from the edge of the area was met by ‘Jonah’ at his near post. At the other end Dave Tickle’s 15 yard strike on the half hour from a Macpherson pass fell wide of the target- Richard Smith followed by coming well over the halfway line to deliver a centre from deep on the Frickley left. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a single Nantwich player on hand to challenge Nicklin as he went up for the ball. At the other end, ‘Gibbo’ conceded a corner from which White shot straight into the arms of Lee Jones. Frickley then stepped up the pressure for a short time during which Charlie O’Loughlin put in a couple of valuable headed clearances whilst central defensive partner Darren Tinson kept a watchful eye on proceedings around him.

Meanwhile, Nantwich continued to plug away- albeit without prizing open the Frickley defence but which eventually conceded a penalty in the 41st minute when central defender Phil Lindley hauled ‘Lenny’ down in the box. Surprisingly, Lindley escaped without caution whilst Dave Walker finished clinically from the penalty spot to put Nantwich into the lead. Two minutes later ‘The Dabbers’ went further ahead through Michael Lennon who escaped the offside trap to fire into an unguarded net after Nicklin was caught rooted to the spot 12 yards from goal.

Frickley plugged away in an attempt to claw back the deficit but were restricted to long balls down the centre leaving ‘Tinno’ and ‘Charlie’ to deal with relatively comfortable ball’s to head away and send ‘The Dabbers’ on the move again..

Half time: FRICKLEY ATHLETIC 0 v NANTWICH TOWN 2

Within a minute of the opening of the second half Frickley initiated an opening through Groome who found Knox deep over on our left hand side but despite collecting the pass and teeing up a shot he disappointed the home fans by firing his angled 25 yard effort wide of goal.

Four minutes into the second half Nantwich edged further ahead when Michael Lennon completed a brace after he cut in from the Frickley right to fire a clinical shot from an angle across the bows of Nicklin into the far bottom corner of the net.

Nantwich continued to pressure Frickley into further mistakes but credit to the home side they continued to work at containing at a ‘Dabbers’ side who looked full of confidence all afternoon. Frickley might have reduced the deficit in the 55th minute but to the home side’s embarrassment striker Peter Knox missed an open goal from 10 yards out. On 72 minutes Nantwich effectively gave the home side a mountain to climb when substitute Dave Whittaker placed a short range glancing header past the diving Nicklin whilst late on, Frickley striker Neil Towler twice tested Jones from inside the area.

A delighted Steve Davis commented: It wasn’t as easy a victory as the score line might suggest. It was hard work trying to keep the ball down because there was such a lot of life in the pitch. But all the lads put in a shift and we gave them (Frickley) little or nothing to work with. A great result against a hard working mid table side that have proved on more than one occasion this season they are capable of causing an upset”.

Match report written by Phil Johnson